U.S. patent application number 11/471670 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for wafer transportable container.
This patent application is currently assigned to VANTEC CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Takuji Nakatogawa.
Application Number | 20070295638 11/471670 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38872585 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070295638 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakatogawa; Takuji |
December 27, 2007 |
Wafer transportable container
Abstract
A waver transportable container (1) includes a container body
(2), which is capable of storing a plurality of wafers (33) and has
one end an opening portion (2a), and a door body (3) capable of
fitting to the opening portion (2a) of the container body (2) in a
detachable manner; a guide rib (17) for positioning is provided in
an outside portion of the door body (2), and a positioning rib
(22), which engages with the guide rib (17) to position the door
body (3), is provided in an outside portion of the container body
(2).
Inventors: |
Nakatogawa; Takuji;
(Ichihara-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 320850
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320-4850
US
|
Assignee: |
VANTEC CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38872585 |
Appl. No.: |
11/471670 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/711 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/67383 20130101;
H01L 21/67369 20130101; H01L 21/67386 20130101; H01L 21/67373
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/711 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00 |
Claims
1. A waver transportable container, comprising: a container body,
which is capable of storing a plurality of wafers and has one end
an opening portion; and a door body capable of fitting to the
opening portion of the container body in a detachable manner,
wherein a guide rib for positioning is provided in an outside
portion of the door body, and a positioning rib, which engages with
the guide rib to position the door body, is provided in an outside
portion of the container body.
2. The waver transportable container according to claim 1, wherein
a clamp mounting portion is provided in the outside portion of the
container body, and a rotatable clamp, which is locked and is
unlocked to a locking portion provided in the door body, is
attached to the clamp mounting portion in a detachable manner and a
rotatable manner.
3. The waver transportable container according to claim 2, wherein
the clamp includes a contact portion, which the guide rib is
contactable and rotates together with the clamp, and the clamp is
provided such that the clamp is locked to the locking portion by
pressing and rotating the contact portion with the guide rib in
conjunction with an operation for closing the door body to the
container body, and the door body is uniformly separated from the
container body by pushing out the guide rib with the contact
portion, in conjunction with an operation for removing the clamp
from the locking portion for opening the door body.
4. A waver transportable container, comprising: a container body
having an opening portion; and a door body capable of installing to
the opening portion of the container body, wherein the door body is
provided with a retainer for a wafer contained in the container
body, the retainer includes a rectangular supporting frame and an
elastic member provided in each of opposing two sides of the
supporting frame, and the elastic member is formed of a
substantially J-shape in its entire, which represents an arc-shaped
line in the direction approaching each other after coming down from
the supporting frame toward a bottom portion of the container body
at an angle inwardly inclined at 2.degree. or more relative to a
vertical line, and comes up inward at a slop of
20.degree.-45.degree. through a horizontal straight portion of 5-20
mm.
5. The waver transportable container according to claim 4, wherein
the supporting frame is provided with inner two sides parallel to
each other between the two sides, each having the elastic member,
an elastic member is provided to each of the inner two sides, and
the elastic members is formed of a substantially J-shape in its
entire, which represents an arc-shaped curved line in the direction
approaching each other after coming down from the supporting frame
toward the bottom portion of the container body at an angle
inwardly inclined at 2.degree. or more relative to the vertical
line, and comes into a leading end portion having a contact with
the wafer through a horizontal straight portion.
6. The waver transportable container according to claim 1, wherein
the container body is disposed such that the opening portion opens
to a side, a plurality of wafer supporting grooves, which holds
each of the wafers, is formed in an inner plan of each of right and
left side plates of the container body, so as to extend from the
opening portion toward a back plate of the container body, the back
plate of the container body is provided with a retaining member,
which retains the wafer, the door body is provided with a retainer,
which sandwiches the wafer in combination with the retaining member
by pushing the wafer toward the retaining member in a state that
the door body is fitted to the opening portion of the container
body, and a side plane of at least a lower side of each of the
wafer supporting grooves is provided with a protrusion portion,
which projects in each of the wafer supporting grooves from the
side plane to support each of the wafers inserted into each of the
wafer supporting grooves in a state that the opening portion is
opened without fitting the door body to the opening portion.
7. The waver transportable container according to claim 1, wherein
the container body is disposed such that the opening portion opens
to a side, a plurality of wafer supporting grooves, which holds
each of the wafers, is formed in an inner plane of each of right
and left side plates of the container body, so as to extend from
the opening portion toward a back plate of the container body, the
back plate of the container body is provided with a retaining
member, which retains the wafer, the door body is provided with a
retainer, which sandwiches the wafer in combination with the
retaining member by pushing the wafer toward the retaining member
in a state that the door body is fitted to the opening portion of
the container body, a plurality of retaining grooves, which
receives a back edge portion of the wafer, is formed in the
retaining member corresponding to each of the wafer supporting
grooves, the retainer includes a rectangular supporting frame and a
plurality of elastic members, which is provided in two sides of the
supporting frame positioned in the side of each of the side plates
of the container body, and is disposed at an interval substantially
equal to an interval between each of the wafer supporting grooves
each other along each of the two sides, each of the elastic members
includes an extension portion, which extends from each of the two
sides of the supporting frame toward each of the wafers contained
in the container body, and a contact portion, which extends from a
leading end of the extension portion toward the opposing side and
is contactable to a front edge portion of each of the wafers
positioned in the opening portion side of the container body, so as
to retain each of the wafers contained in the container body, a
holding groove, which receives the front edge portion of the wafer
in a state that the door body is fitted to the opening portion of
the container body, is formed in the contact portion corresponding
to each of the wafer supporting grooves, and a pair of side planes
facing each other in the width direction of each of the holding
grooves and retaining grooves is formed such that an each other's
interval is gradually reduced toward the bottom plane of each of
the holding grooves and each of the retaining grooves, so as to
guide the front edge portion and the back edge portion of the wafer
toward a central portion of the width direction of each of the
holding grooves and the retaining grooves, respectively, when the
door body is fitted to the opening portion of the container
body.
8. The waver transportable container according to claim 6, wherein
container body is disposed such that the opening portion opens to a
side, a plurality of wafer supporting grooves, which holds each of
the wafers, is formed in an inner plane of each of right and left
side plates of the container body, so as to extend from the opening
portion toward a back plate of the container body, the back plate
of the container body is provided with a retaining member, which
retains the wafer, the door body is provided with a retainer, which
sandwiches the wafer in combination with the retaining member by
pushing the wafer toward the retaining member in a state that the
door body is fitted to the opening portion of the container body, a
plurality of retaining grooves, which receives a back edge portion
of the wafer, is formed in the retaining member corresponding to
each of the wafer supporting grooves, the retainer includes a
rectangular supporting frame and a plurality of elastic members,
which is provided in two sides of the supporting frame positioned
in the side of each of the side plates of the container body, and
is disposed at an interval substantially equal to an interval
between each of the wafer supporting grooves each other along each
of the two sides, each of the elastic members includes an extension
portion, which extends from each of the two sides of the supporting
frame toward each of the wafers contained in the container body,
and a contact portion, which extends from a leading end of the
extension portion toward the opposing side and is contactable to a
front edge portion of each of the wafers positioned in the opening
portion side of the container body, so as to retain each of the
wafers contained in the container body, a holding groove, which
receives the front edge portion of the wafer in a state that the
door body is fitted to the opening portion of the container body,
is formed in the contact portion corresponding to each of the wafer
supporting grooves, and a pair of side planes facing each other in
the width direction of each of the holding grooves and retaining
grooves is formed such that an each other's interval is gradually
reduced toward the bottom plane of each of the holding grooves and
each of the retaining grooves, so as to guide the front edge
portion and the back edge portion of the wafer toward a central
portion of the width direction of each of the holding grooves and
the retaining grooves, respectively, when the door body is fitted
to the opening portion of the container body.
9. The waver transportable container according to claim 6, wherein
the retaining member is integrally formed in the container
body.
10. The waver transportable container according to claim 7, wherein
the retaining member is integrally formed in the container
body.
11. The waver transportable container according to claim 8, wherein
the retaining member is integrally formed in the container
body.
12. The waver transportable container according to claim 5, wherein
the supporting frame of the retainer is provided with inner two
sides disposed parallel to each other between the two sides, each
of the inner two sides is provided with a plurality of elastic
members, which extends from the inner two sides toward the wafers
to press the wafers and is disposed corresponding to each of the
elastic members, and a magnitude of an elastic force of each of the
elastic members is set to be smaller than a magnitude of an elastic
force of each of the elastic members provided in the two sides of
the supporting frame.
13. The waver transportable container according to claim 7, wherein
the supporting frame of the retainer is provided with inner two
sides disposed parallel to each other between the two sides, each
of the inner two sides is provided with a plurality of elastic
members, which extends from the inner two sides toward the wafers
to press the wafers and is disposed corresponding to each of the
elastic members, and a magnitude of an elastic force of each of the
elastic members is set to be smaller than a magnitude of an elastic
force of each of the elastic members provided in the two sides of
the supporting frame.
14. The waver transportable container according to claim 8, wherein
the supporting frame of the retainer is provided with inner two
sides disposed parallel to each other between the two sides, each
of the inner two sides is provided with a plurality of elastic
members, which extends from the inner two sides toward the wafers
to press the wafers and is disposed corresponding to each of the
elastic members, and a magnitude of an elastic force of each of the
elastic members is set to be smaller than a magnitude of an elastic
force of each of the elastic members provided in the two sides of
the supporting frame.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a wafer transportable
container, which houses and transports a wafer such as a
semiconductor wafer, memory disk and liquid crystal glass.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, there are, for example, semiconductor wafers
as one example of wafers. A transportable container, which houses
the semiconductor wafers in a plurality of levels, comprises a
boxing container body that the upper portion is opened, for
example. The side walls of inner portion of the container body are
provided with a plurality of circular arc-shaped curved groove
portions having V-section, and the bottom portions thereof are
provided with groove portions having U-section, respectively. The
groove portion supports the outside edge of lower portion side of
the semiconductor wafer to house the semiconductor wafer.
[0005] On the other hand, a door body is detachably installed to
the upper portion of the container body, and the lower side (back
side) of the door body is provided with a wafer retainer, which has
contact with the outside edge of the upper portion side of the
semiconductor wafer housed in the container body to hold the
semiconductor wafer. In addition, the opening and closing of the
door body and container body are performed by the locking and
unlocking of a locking tool mounted on the door body (for example,
reference to WO99/39994).
[0006] A wafer retainer, which has contact with an upper edge of a
semiconductor wafer stored in a container body to retain the wafer,
is disposed in a door body installed in the container body that the
semiconductor wafers are stored (references to JP H07-307379A,
JP2000-349135A and JP2796502B).
[0007] As one example of these wafer retainers, there has been
proposed a wafer retainer 1 illustrated in FIG. 17. The wafer
retainer 1 comprises a pair of elastic pieces 3, 3 provided in a
supporting frame 2 and a pair of locking pieces 4, 4 provided in
the supporting frame 2 between both of the elastic pieces 3, 3. The
semiconductor wafer is pressed into the container body from the
edge portion thereof by a pair of elastic pieces 3, 3 and a pair of
locking pieces 4, 4.
[0008] Moreover, in order to automatically house a semiconductor
wafer relative to a container body, there has been known a waver
transportable container having an open front container body (for
example, references to JP2000-159288A).
[0009] However, in the conventional waver transportable containers,
the door body and container body are not provided with a guide
portion, which guides the door body when installing the door body
to the container body, so the door body has to be fastened to the
container body by the locking tool after the door body is brought
into contact with the container body to be fitted to the container
body.
[0010] Moreover, the positioning of the door body and the container
body is carried out in such a manner that the wafer retainer
functioning as a cushion of the back side of the door body is
brought into contact with the wafer in a prescribed position.
Therefore, there is a problem that the operation for installing a
door body takes extra effort. When the door body does not have
contact with the container body in a prescribed position, the wafer
retainer may not have contact with the wafer in a prescribed
position.
[0011] Next, in a structure that locking tools are disposed in four
corners of the door body as a means for locking the door body to
the container body (for example, reference to WO99/39994), there is
a problem that the door body can not be opened or closed with one
operation by hand. In addition, when the door body is opened and
closed to the container body, the opening and closing operation
takes extra effort in a structure which elastically deforms the
locking tool mounted on the container body (reference to
JP2000-159288A).
[0012] Furthermore, in the waver transportable container having the
conventional semiconductor wafer retainer 1 described in FIG. 17, a
distance from the circular arc-shaped curved portion 3a of each of
the elastic pieces 3 to the leading end portion 3b of the contact
portion relative to the semiconductor wafer is short. Therefore,
the circular arc-shaped curved portion 3a of each of the elastic
pieces 3, 3 hardly bend, so the stress acting on the circular
arc-shaped portion 3a of each of the elastic pieces 3, 3 may be
increased. In addition, a pair of inner locking pieces 4, 4
disposed between a pair of elastic pieces 3, 3 is hardly
elastically deformed, so the stress acting on the locking pieces 4,
4 during retaining a semiconductor wafer may be increased.
[0013] The large stress acting on a pair of elastic pieces 3, 3 or
a pair of locking pieces 4, 4 generates creep deformation to each
of the pieces 3, 3, 4, 4 during storing the semiconductor wafer for
a long time, resulting in the decrease in the holding power for
retaining the semiconductor wafer. Consequently, friction is easily
caused between the semiconductor wafer and especially a pair of
locking pieces 4, 4 during the transport after the long time
storage. Accordingly, the semiconductor wafer may be contaminated
by the dust generated by this friction.
[0014] Moreover, if the stress of a pair of elastic pieces 3, 3 and
a pair of locking pieces 4, 4 is large, the miss-catching that the
semiconductor wafer removes from the wafer retainer 1 may be
generated when the waver transportable container falls into a floor
in the semiconductor stored state. As a result, the semiconductor
wafer may be destroyed by this miss-catching.
SUMMARY
[0015] It is, therefore, a first object of the present invention to
provide a waver transportable container, which facilitates the
attaching and detaching the door body to the container body, so as
to improve the opening and closing operation of the door body.
[0016] Moreover, a second object of the present invention is to
provide a waver transportable container, which absolutely retains a
semiconductor wafer over a long period of time, so as to prevent
the contamination of semiconductor wafer and the miss-caching when
dropping the transportable container, and damage by this
miss-catching.
[0017] In order to achieve the first object of the present
invention, a waver transportable container according to a first
aspect of the present invention comprises a container body, which
is capable of storing a plurality of wafers and has one end an
opening portion, and a door body capable of fitting to the opening
portion of the container body in a detachable manner, wherein a
guide rib for positioning is provided in an outside portion of the
door body, and a positioning rib, which engages with the guide rib
to position the door body, is provided in an outside portion of the
container body.
[0018] In order to achieve the second object of the present
invention, a waver transportable container according to a second
aspect of the present invention comprises a container body having
an opening portion, and a door body capable of installing to the
opening portion of the container body, wherein the door body is
provided with a retainer for a wafer contained in the container
body, the retainer includes a rectangular supporting frame and an
elastic member provided in each of opposing two sides of the
supporting frame, and the elastic member is formed of a
substantially J-shape in its entire, which represents an arc-shaped
line in the direction approaching each other after coming down from
the supporting frame toward a bottom portion of the container body
at an angle inwardly inclined at 2.degree. or more relative to a
vertical line, and comes up inward at a slop of
20.degree.-45.degree. through a horizontal straight portion of 5-20
mm.
[0019] Following are preferred embodiments (1) to (6) of the waver
transportable container according to the first aspect of the
present invention. Any combinations thereof may be considered to be
preferred ones of the first aspect of the present invention unless
any contradictions occur.
[0020] (1) A clamp mounting portion is provided in the outside
portion of the container body, and a rotatable clamp, which is
locked and is unlocked to a locking portion provided in the door
body, is attached to the clamp mounting portion in a detachable
manner and a rotatable manner.
[0021] (2) The clamp includes a contact portion, which the guide
rib is contactable and rotates together with the clamp, and the
clamp is provided such that the clamp is locked to the locking
portion by pressing and rotating the contact portion with the guide
rib, in conjunction with an operation for closing the door body to
the container body, and the door body is uniformly separated from
the container body by pushing out the guide rib with the contact
portion, in conjunction with an operation for removing the clamp
from the locking portion for opening the door body.
[0022] (3) The container body is disposed such that the opening
portion opens to a side, a plurality of wafer supporting grooves,
which holds each of the wafers, is formed in an inner plan of each
of right and left side plates of the container body, so as to
extend from the opening portion toward a back plate of the
container body, the back plate of the container body is provided
with a retaining member, which retains the wafer, the door body is
provided with a retainer, which sandwiches the wafer in combination
with the retaining member by pushing the wafer toward the retaining
member in a state that the door body is fitted to the opening
portion of the container body, and a side plane of at least a lower
side of each of the wafer supporting grooves is provided with a
protrusion portion, which projects in each of the wafer supporting
grooves from the side plane to support each of the wafers inserted
into each of the wafer supporting grooves in a state that the
opening portion is opened without fitting the door body to the
opening portion.
[0023] (4) The container body is disposed such that the opening
portion opens to a side, a plurality of wafer supporting grooves,
which holds each of the wafers, is formed in an inner plane of each
of right and left side plates of the container body, so as to
extend from the opening portion toward a back plate of the
container body, the back plate of the container body is provided
with a retainer member, which retains the wafer, the door body is
provided with a retainer, which sandwiches the wafer in combination
with the retaining member by pushing the wafer toward the retaining
member in a state that the door body is fitted to the opening
portion of the container body, a plurality of retaining grooves,
which receives a back edge portion of the wafer, is formed in the
retaining member corresponding to each of the wafer supporting
grooves, the retainer includes a rectangular supporting frame and a
plurality of elastic members, which is provided in two sides of the
supporting frame positioned in the side of each of the side plates
of the container body, and is disposed at an interval substantially
equal to an interval between each of the wafer supporting grooves
each other along each of the two sides, each of the elastic members
includes an extension portion, which extends from each of the two
sides of the supporting frame toward each of the wafers contained
in the container body, and a contact portion, which extends from a
leading end of the extension portion toward the opposing side and
is contactable to a front edge portion of each of the wafers
positioned in the opening portion side of the container body, so as
to retain each of the wafers contained in the container body, a
holding groove, which receives the front edge portion of the wafer
in a state that the door body is fitted to the opening portion of
the container body, is formed in the contact portion corresponding
to each of the wafer supporting grooves, and a pair of side planes
facing each other in the width direction of each of the holding
grooves and retaining grooves is formed such that an each other's
interval is gradually reduced toward the bottom plane of each of
the holding grooves and each of the retaining grooves, so as to
guide the front edge portion and the back edge portion of the wafer
toward a central portion of the width direction of each of the
holding grooves and the retaining grooves, respectively, when the
door body is fitted to the opening portion of the container
body.
[0024] (5) The retaining member is integrally formed in the
container body,
[0025] (6) The supporting frame of the retainer is provided with
inner two sides disposed parallel to each other between the two
sides, each of the inner two sides is provided with a plurality of
elastic members, which extends from the inner two sides toward the
wafers to press the wafers and is disposed corresponding to each of
the elastic members, and a magnitude of an elastic force of each of
the elastic members is set to be smaller than a magnitude of an
elastic force of each of the elastic members provided in the two
sides of the supporting frame.
[0026] According to one preferred embodiment of above-described
waver transportable container of the second aspect of the present
invention, the supporting frame is provided with inner two sides
parallel to each other between the two sides, each having the
elastic member, an elastic member is provided to each of the inner
two sides, and the elastic members is formed of a substantially
J-shape in its entire, which represents an arc-shaped curved line
in the direction approaching each other after coming down from the
supporting frame toward the bottom portion of the container body at
an angle inwardly inclined at 2.degree. or more relative to the
vertical line, and comes into a leading end portion having a
contact with the wafer through a horizontal straight portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a waver
transportable container according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 2A is a schematic view explaining an opened state of a
waver transportable container body.
[0029] FIG. 2B is a schematic view explaining a closed state of a
waver transportable container body.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a semiconductor
wafer retainer to be attached to an underside of a door body.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view obtained along II-II line
shown in FIG. 2.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a front view showing a semiconductor waver
transportable container according to the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a cross-section view obtained along V-V line shown
in FIG. 5.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a door body of a waver
transportable container.
[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a container body of a waver
transportable container.
[0036] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of clamps which clamp a door
body.
[0037] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of positioning ribs
and clamp mounting portions of a container body.
[0038] FIG. 11A is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of a
clamp mounting portion and spindle.
[0039] FIG. 11B is a view showing an opening portion of a clamp
mounting portion.
[0040] FIG. 12 is a function view illustrating a state that a door
body is installed to a container body.
[0041] FIG. 13 is a function view of guide ribs, positioning ribs,
clamp and the like in the installation location of door body in
FIG. 12.
[0042] FIG. 14 is a function view showing a state that the door
body in FIG. 12 is further pushed to the container body.
[0043] FIG. 15 is a function view of guide ribs, positioning ribs,
clamp and the like in the installation location of the door body in
FIG. 14.
[0044] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a waver transportable
container after the door body is installed to the container
body.
[0045] FIG. 17 is a cross:section view illustrating a conventional
semiconductor wafer retainer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0046] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be
explained with reference to the drawings.
[0047] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a waver
transportable container 1. In the present embodiment, it will be
explained about a semiconductor wafer 33 as an example of a wafer.
The above waver transportable container 1 comprises a substantially
boxing-shaped container body 2, which is capable of housing a
plurality of semiconductor wafers 33, and a door body 3, which
opens and closes an opening portion 2a of the container body 2. The
container body 2 is disposed such that the opening portion 2a opens
to the side as shown in FIG. 1.
[0048] Each of back sides of right and left side plates 4, 5 in the
container body 2 is formed with a plurality of wafer supporting
grooves 6, which retains the semiconductor wafer 33. Each of the
wafer supporting grooves 6 extends parallel to each other from the
opening portion 2a of the container body 2 to a back plate 35
positioned in the back side of the container body 2.
[0049] A lower plane 6a, which locates on the downside in a pair of
side planes facing each other in the width direction of each of the
wafer supporting grooves 6, is formed with a protrusion portion 36,
which projects in each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 from the
lower plane as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B. Each of the protrusion
potions 36 is formed in the end portion of the lower plane 6a,
which is positioned in the opening portion 2a side over the
weighted center of the wafer 33. The height of protrusion portion
36 is about 0.3 mm, and the width of the protrusion portion 36 is
about 2 mm.
[0050] The back plate 35 of the container body 2 is provided with a
retaining member 37 which supports each of the wafers 33 contained
in the container body 2. The retaining member 37 is integrally
formed with the back plate 35 of the container body 2 in the
example shown in the figures, and sandwiches the wafer 33 in
combination with the after-mentioned wafer retainer 7. As just
described, if the wafer 33 is horizontally retained by the
protrusion portions 36, the contact area with the wafer 33 is
reduced. Therefore, the wafer 33 is not caught in the container
body when storing and removing the wafer 33.
[0051] A plurality of retaining grooves 38, which receives each of
the wafers 33, is formed in the inner surface of the internal side
of the container body 2 of the retaining member 37. Each of the
retaining grooves 38 extends parallel to each other in the light
and left direction of the container body 2, and is formed such that
each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 corresponding to each of the
retaining grooves 38 is located in the extended line of each of the
retaining grooves 38. Therefore, when the edge portions of both
sides of each of the wafers 33 is guided toward the back plate 35
in each of the wafer supporting grooves 6, the back edge portion of
each of the wafers 33 is received in each of the retaining grooves
38 of the retaining member 37.
[0052] A pair of side planes 38a, 38a facing each other in the
width direction of each of the retaining grooves 38 are formed such
that an each other's interval is gradually reduced toward the
bottom plane 38b of each of the retaining grooves 38. Each of the
side planes comprises an inclined surface which inclines toward the
central portion of the bottom plane 38b of each of the retaining
grooves 38. Each of the bottom planes 38b is positioned lower than
the central portion such that each of the wafers 33 easily falls in
each of the retaining grooves without being caught, when the
position of the container body is changed from longitudinal to
lateral, and the container body is opened.
[0053] The above mentioned wafer retainer 7 is attached to the
underside of the door body 3. Moreover, a gasket 9, which maintains
air leakage efficiency of the waver transportable container 1, is
attached to the underside of the door body 3.
[0054] The wafer retainer 7 comprises a rectangular supporting
frame 30 as shown in FIG. 3. The supporting frame 30 is formed with
various thermoplastic elastomer such as polyester system, olefin
system and styrene system or thermoplastic resin in addition to
elastomer such as PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) and PEEK
(polyether ether keton). The supporting frame 30 includes a pair of
short sides 30a, 30a and a pair of long sides 30b, 30b. A pair of
inner sides 30c, 30c parallel to each other is formed between a
pair of short sides 30a, 30a of the two sides facing each
other.
[0055] The elastic members 31a, 31b, which extend toward one side
of the supporting frame 30, are formed in a pair of inner sides
30c, 30c and a pair of long sides 30b, 30b located outside thereof,
i.e., the outer sides 30b, 30b, respectively. Each of the elastic
members 31a, 31b is integrally formed with the supporting frame 30.
Each of the outer sides 30b is provided with a plurality of elastic
members 31a in line in the longitudinal direction of each of the
outer sides 30b, and each of the inner sides 30c is provided with a
plurality of elastic members 31b in line in the longitudinal
direction of each of the inner side 30c corresponding to the
elastic members 31a of the outer side 30b.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 4, each of the elastic members 31a, 31a
provided in a pair of outer sides 30b comprises an inclined portion
32a, which integrally extends in one side of the supporting frame
30 from the outer side 30b of the supporting frame 30 at an
inclined angle having .theta.1 inward to a vertical line L1
orthogonal to the short side 30a, a circular arc-shaped curved
portion 32b along a circular curved line, which continues to the
inclined portion and curves in the direction approaching each
other, a horizontal straight portion 32c, where extends from the
leading end of the circular arc-shaped curved portion along a
straight line in the direction approaching each other and a rising
portion 32d, which rises obliquely upward at .theta.2 to the
horizontal straight portion 32d to approach each other from the
leading end of the horizontal straight portion. The inclined
portion 32a, circular arc-shaped curved portion 32b, horizontal
straight portion 32c and raising portion 32d are formed of J-shaped
in its entirety.
[0057] In the no-load state of the supporting frame 30 that the
upper edge of the semiconductor wafer 33 shown by the virtual line
in FIG. 4 is not pushed by the supporting frame 30, the angle
.theta.1 between the vertical line L1 and the inclined portion 32d
is set to 2.degree. or more. This angle .theta.1 is set to
facilitate the removal of the supporting frame 30 from a die in the
resin molding of the supporting frame 30 using the die. Therefore,
in order to facilitate the removal, it is preferable to have a
large angle of .theta.1, but it is preferable to have 2-10.degree.,
so as to suitably push the after-mentioned semiconductor wafer. It
is more preferable to have 2-5.degree..
[0058] The inclined angle .theta.2 of the rising portion 32d is set
to 20-45.degree. in the above no-load state. When the rising
portion 32d engages with the semiconductor wafer 33 to apply the
downward elastic suppress strength in the figure to the
semiconductor wafer 33 by the elastic member 31a by setting the
inclined angle .theta.2 to 20-45.degree., overall expanse
deformation in the direction that a pair of elastic members 31a,
31a get away each other is controlled. Therefore, the elastic force
of each of the elastic members 31a, 31a can be effectively used as
the downward pushing force in the figure.
[0059] Moreover, the horizontal straight portion 32c formed between
the rising portion 32d of the leading end portion and the circular
arc-shaped curved portion 32b of each of the elastic members 31a
includes measurement of 5-20 mm, when the diameter of the
semiconductor wafer 33 is about 300 mm. Since the horizontal
straight portion 32c is formed between the circular arc-shaped
curved portion 32b and the rising portion 32d of the leading end
portion, the measurement from the circular arc-shaped curved
portion 32b to the leading end portion of the contact portion to
the semiconductor wafer 33, i.e., the rising portion 32d is set
larger than the conventional measurement. Accordingly, the outer
elastic member 31a can be sufficiently elastically deformed by the
circular arc-shaped curved portion 32b and the horizontal straight
portion 32c. Therefore, a creep phenomenon in the outer elastic
member 31a caused by the concentration of stress can be prevented,
and appropriate holding power can be maintained.
[0060] Furthermore, a plurality of holding grooves 39, which
receives the front edge portion of each of the wafers 33 positioned
in the opening portion 2a side in a state that the door body 3 is
fitted to the opening portion 2a of the container body 2, is formed
in the rising portion 32d of the contact portion to the front edge
portion of each of the wafers 33. Each of the holding grooves 39 is
formed to extend along the front edge portion of each of the wafers
33 and to locate each of the wafer supporting grooves 6
corresponding to each of the holding grooves 39 on each of the
extended lines thereof.
[0061] A pair of side planes 39a, 39a facing each other in the
width direction of each of the holding grooves 39 is formed such
that the each other's interval is gradually reduced toward the
bottom plane 39b of each of the holding grooves 39. Each of the
side planes 39acomprises an inclined plane, which inclines toward
the central portion of the bottom plane 39b of each of the holding
grooves 39 in the example shown in the figures.
[0062] The inner elastic member 31b formed in each of the inner
sides 30c, similar to the outer elastic member 31a, includes an
inclined portion 34a, which extends from the inner side 30c to one
side of the supporting frame 30 at an angle .theta.1, a circular
arc-shaped curved portion 34b, which continues to the inclined
portion 34a and curves to the direction approaching each other, and
a horizontal straight portion 34c, which extends along the straight
line in the direction approaching each other from the leading end
of the circular arc-shaped curved portion 34b. The inner elastic
member 31b is formed of a substantially J-shape in its entirety.
The lower surface of leading end of the horizontal straight portion
34c is provided with a contact portion 34d, which engages with the
semiconductor wafer 33. Since the circular arc-shaped curved
portion 34b and the horizontal straight portion 34c are formed
between the inclined portion 34a and the contact portion 34d of the
inner elastic member 31b, each of the inner elastic portions 31b
can be sufficiently elastically deformed by the circular arc-shaped
curved portion 34b and the horizontal straight portion 34c.
Therefore, a creep phenomenon in the inner elastic member 31b
caused by the concentration of stress can be prevented, and
appropriate holding power can be maintained.
[0063] Moreover, a holding groove (not shown) similar to the
holding groove formed in the rising portion 32d of each of the
outer elastic members 31a is formed in the contact portion 34d of
each of the inner elastic members 31b. Each of the side planes of
the holding groove comprises an inclined surface similar to each of
the outer elastic members 31a.
[0064] Furthermore, in the example shown in the figure, the wafer
holding strength of each of the outer elastic members 31a is set
larger than the wafer holding strength of each of the inner elastic
members 31b. More particularly, the ratio of holding strength of
the inner elastic member and the outer elastic member is
2:8-1:9.
[0065] The wafer retainer 7 is disposed in the lower surface of the
door body 3, such that the supporting frame 30 cuts across the
opening portion 2a of the container body 2, as shown in FIG. 5. The
wafer retainer 7 is sandwiched between the opening end portion 2a
of the container body 2 and the door body 3, such that a large
number of semiconductor wafers 33, each having the edge portions
received in the wafer supporting grooves 6 formed in the back sides
of the side plates 4, 5 of the container body 2, is pressed toward
the back plate 35 of the container body 2 by the outer elastic
member 31a and the inner elastic member 31b formed in the
supporting frame 30.
[0066] The semiconductor wafer 33 contained in the waver
transportable container 1 is provided with an orientation flat or
notch for showing a crystal orientation of the wafer 33. The notch
or orientation flat is engagable with the contact portion 34d
provided in the inner elastic member 31b. The rotation in the
circumferential direction of the semiconductor wafer 33 can be
prevented by the engagement of the contact portion 34d.
[0067] In the waver transportable container 1 according to the
present invention, each of the outer elastic members 31a and each
of the inner elastic members 31b of the supporting frame 30 to be
disposed in the opening portion 2a of the container body 2 engage
with the upper edge portion of the semiconductor wafer 33, and the
elastic suppress strength toward the back plate 35 of the container
body 1 is applied to the semiconductor wafer 33. Therefore, each of
the semiconductor wafers 33 is absolutely held in the wafer
supporting grooves 6 formed in the inner walls of the container
body 1.
[0068] In the outer elastic member 31a of the supporting frame 30,
which applies the elastic suppress strength to the semiconductor
wafer 33, the horizontal straight portion 32c is formed between the
circular arc-shaped curved portion 32b continuing to the inclined
portion 32a and the rising portion 32d of the leading end portion,
and the measurement from the circular arc-shaped curved portion 32b
to the leading end portion of the contact portion to the
semiconductor wafer 33, i.e., the rising portion 32d is set larger
than the conventional measurement. Therefore, conventional large
stress is not regionally applied to the circular arc-shaped curved
portion 32b even in the pressed state. Accordingly, the outer
elastic member 31a does not loose the elasticity by the creep
phenomenon even in the long storage within the waver transportable
container 1.
[0069] In addition, since in the inner elastic member 31b, the
circular arc-shaped curved portion 34b and the horizontal straight
portion 34c are formed between the inclined portion 34a and the
contact portion 34d, and the measurement from the circular
arc-shaped curved portion 34b to the leading end portion of the
contact portion to the semiconductor wafer 33, i.e., the contact
portion 34d is set larger than the conventional measurement,
conventional large stress is not regionally applied to the inner
elastic portion 31b even in the pressed state of the semiconductor
wafer 33. Therefore, even in long storage within the waver
transportable container 1, the inner elastic member 31b does not
loose the elasticity by the creep phenomenon.
[0070] Therefore, according to the waver transportable container 1
of the present invention, the deterioration in the holding power
associated with the generation of creep phenomenon of the outer
elastic member 31a and the inner elastic member 31b can be
prevented, and also the contamination of semiconductor wafer during
transport after the long storage caused by the deterioration in the
holding power, the miss-catching by the falling of waver
transportable container 1 and the damage of semiconductor wafer 33
by the miss-catching can be prevented.
[0071] An underside of a bottom plate 11 of the container body 2 is
provided with an installation portion (not shown). The container
body 2 is absolutely fastened to a predetermined position by
mounting the installation portion on a plurality of positioning
pins 12 provided in a bottom plate 10. By fastening the container
body 2 with the laterally-facing (open front) opening portion 2a of
the container body 2, the opening operation of the door body 3, the
storage operation of the semiconductor wafer 33 to the container
body 2 and the closing operation of the door body 3 can be
automatically conducted by means of an automatic machine (not
shown).
[0072] In FIG. 7, each of inner sides of right and left side plates
(outer portions) 14, 15 of the door body 3 is provided with locking
portions 16 that the after-mentioned clamp is locked.
[0073] The outside of the side plate 15 is provided with two guide
ribs 17, 17 for the positioning of the door body 3 relative to the
container body 2, and the other left side plate 14 is also provided
with guide ribs (not shown). The guide ribs 17, 17 are disposed to
extend such that the leading end portions face the backside, and
the both side edges 18, 18 facing each other are formed parallel to
each other.
[0074] In FIGS. 8, 10, an outside portion 21 in the vicinity of the
opening portion 2a of the container body 2 is provided with a pair
of positioning ribs 22 parallel to each other. Each of the
positioning ribs 22 is disposed along the depth direction of the
container body 2. The positioning ribs 22 conduct the positioning
by controlling the guide ribs 17 as described below. Those
positioning ribs 22 are also provided in an outside portion 20 in
the side facing to the outside portion 21.
[0075] A pair of clamp mounting portions 24, each having a channel
shape (U-shape) in the front vision, is disposed in the vicinity of
the backside of the positioning ribs 22. The opening portions of
the clamp mounting portions 24 are disposed to face each other.
Those clamp mounting portions 24 are also provided in the outside
portion 20 of the left side plate 4.
[0076] The clamp mounting portions 24 are for mounting each of
clamps 25 shown in FIG. 9. This clamp 25 is locked to the locking
portions 16 shown in FIG. 7 to clamp the door body 3 to the
container body 2. The base portion of the clamp 25 is fastened to a
supporting shaft 26, and a pair of contact portions 27, 27 is
fastened to two positions of the supporting shaft 26.
[0077] More particularly, the clamp 25 includes the contact
portions 27, and the claim 25 and contact portions 27 may be
integrally formed as long as they can rotate together without
fastening to the supporting shaft 26 as shown in the
embodiment.
[0078] In addition, as a material such as the container body 2,
door body 3 and clamp 25, PC (polycarbonate) is used, but PBT
(polybutylene terephthalate) and PEEK (polyether ether ketone) may
be used.
[0079] The supporting shaft 26 is rotatably mounted on the clamp
mounting portions 24 as described in FIGS. 10, 11A, 11B. The up and
down contact portions 27 are disposed in positions, which have
contact with the guide ribs 17 (reference to FIG. 7) of the door
body 3, respectively, when installing the door body 3 to the
container body 2.
[0080] More particularly, the guide ribs 17 have contact with the
contact portions 27 to press and rotate the contact portions 27.
Thereby, the clamp 25 integrated with the contact portions 27
rotates in the locking direction.
[0081] FIG. 11A illustrates a part of the under side of the clamp
mounting portion 24 shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. 11B illustrates the
clamp mounting portion 24 seen from the opening portion side. A
holding concave portion (holding groove) 28 is formed by both of
wall plates 24a, 24b and a bottom plate 24c of the clamp mounting
portion 24. In addition, the holding concave portion 28 is also
formed in the upper side of clamp mounting portion 24.
[0082] The supporting shaft 26 is rotatably supported by fitting
the clamp supporting shaft 26 to the holding concave portion 28. In
order to mount the supporting shaft 26 to the clamp mounting
portions 24, the supporting shaft 26 can be easily detachably
mounted by simply dropping and pushing the supporting shaft 26 from
the front sides of the up and down clamp mounting portions 24.
[0083] The clamping operation of the door body 3 to the container
body 2 can be easily conducted as described later by the rotatable
clamp 25.
[Operation]
[0084] Next, it will be explained about the operation of opening
and closing mechanism of the door body of the waver transportable
container as constructed above. At first, the installation
(closing) operation of the door body 3 to the container body 2 will
be described.
[0085] In FIGS. 12, 13, if the door body 3 is moved with respect to
the opening portion 2a of the container body 2 in the arrow
direction 30 by the hand operation of worker, the lateral movement
of the guide ribs 17 of the right and left sides of the door body 3
is controlled by the outside portions 20, 21 of the container body
2. In addition, the side edges 18 of the guide ribs 17 are guided
by the side portions of the positioning ribs 22, and the
longitudinal movement of the guide ribs 17 is controlled, as shown
in FIG. 13.
[0086] More particularly, the movement in the lateral direction (X
direction) and the movement in the longitudinal direction (Z
direction) with respect to the opening portion 2a of the container
body 2 is previously controlled by the positioning ribs 22 and the
outside portions 20, 21, so the door body 3 can be easily installed
to the container body 2 in a prescribed position without
specifically considering the position of the door body 3.
[0087] Since the door body 3 can be easily installed to the
container body 2 in an appropriate position, the wafer retainer 7
of the door body 3 can be absolutely and easily attached to the
semiconductor wafer 33 of prescribed position within the container
body 2. The miss-operation in the matching of the wafer retainer 7
and the semiconductor wafer 33, which has been conventionally
dependent on sense of a worker, the miss-catching relative to the
semiconductor wafer 33 caused by the miss-operation can be
certainly prevented.
[0088] FIGS. 14, 15 illustrate a state just before the end of the
installation that the door body 3 shown in FIG. 12 is further
pushed. As shown in FIG. 15, the guide ribs 17 have contact with
the contact portions 27 of the clamp 25 to press and rotate the
contact portions 27 in the middle of pushing (closing) the door
body 3 from the state shown in FIG. 12.
[0089] In other word, the clamp 25 integrated with the contact
portions 27 is automatically rotated in the locking direction of
the state shown in FIGS. 14, 15 from the state shown in FIGS. 12,
13, in conjugation with the closing of the door body 3.
[0090] If the door body 3 is completely closed to the container
body 2 as shown in FIG. 16, the clamp 25 is automatically locked to
the locking portions 16 of the door body 3. As just described, the
clamping operation of the door body 3 by the clamp 25 can be
simultaneously conducted in conjugation with the installation
operation of door body 3 to the container body 2.
[0091] Since the clamping and clamp releasing operation to the
locking portions 16 is performed by the rotating operation of the
clamp 25, and a component, which causes elastic deformation to a
locking tool of the container body 2 and the door body 3 as used in
the conventional waver transportable container, is not used, the
clamping of the door body 3 can be easily conducted by the clamp
25.
[0092] Moreover, when fitting the door body 3 to the opening
portion 2a of the container body 2, as shown in FIG. 2B, the front
edge portion of each of the wafers 33 is received in each of the
holding grooves 39 formed in each of the elastic members 31a, 31b
of the wafer retainer 7 provided in the door body 3. In this case,
each of the side planes 39a of each of the holding grooves 39
comprises an inclined plane, which inclines toward the central
portion of each of the holding grooves 39, as described above, so
the front edge portion of each of the wafers 33 is guided to each
of the side planes 39a toward the central portion of each of the
holding grooves 39, as moving the door body 3 toward the container
body 2. Furthermore, if the door body 3 is further pushed to the
inward of the container body 2, the back edge portion of each of
the wafers 33 is inserted into each of the retaining grooves 38 of
the retaining member 37 provided in the back plate 35 by the
pressing force toward the back plate 35 of the container body 2
that each of the wafers 33 receives from the wafer retainer 7. In
this case, since each of the side planes 38a of each of the
retaining grooves 38 comprises the inclined plane, which inclines
toward the central portion of each of the retaining grooves 38 as
described above, the back edge portion of each of the wafers 33
inserted into each of the retaining grooves 38 is guided to each of
the side planes 38a toward the central portion of each of the
retaining grooves 38. Therefore, each of the wafers 33 is
sandwiched between the wafer 7 and the retaining member 37 in a
state which separates from the lower plane 6a of each of the wafer
supporting grooves 6, in a closed state that the door body 3 is
fitted to the opening portion 2a of the container body 2.
[0093] The above described closing method of the door body opening
and closing mechanism has three advantages.
[0094] The first advantage is that the positioning of the door body
3 and the container body 2 and the rotation operation in the
locking direction of the clamp 25 can be simultaneously conducted
when closing the door body 3 to the container body 2. The second
advantage is that the contact position of the wafer retainer 7 and
the semiconductor wafer 33 is automatically decided. The third
advantage is that the clamp 25 is installed to the case body 2
without deforming, so the installation operation of the door body 3
can be easily performed.
[0095] Next, it will be explained about the operation for removing
(opening) the door body 3 from the container body 2.
[0096] When the door body 3 is removed from the container body 2,
the clamp 25 is rotated to the outside of the container body 2 (in
the releasing direction) while removing the clamp 25 from the
locking portions 16 by hand operation. In this case, if the clamp
25 starts rotating, the guide ribs 17, which have contact with the
contact portions 27 of the clamp 25, is pushed forward, and the
door body 3 uniformly comes up (separate) from the container body
2. Therefore, the door body 3 can be easily removed from the
container body 2.
[0097] In the state that the door body 3 is removed from the
container body 2, each of the wafers 33 is moved downward by the
front edge portion dislodged from each of the retaining grooves 39
of the wafer retainer 7. In this case, since the lower plane 6a of
each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 is provided with the
protrusion portion 36, as described above, each of the both side
edge portions of each of the wafers 33 has contact with the
protrusion portion 36, and supported by the protrusion portion.
Thereby, each of the wafers 33 is supported by the protrusion
portions 36 and the retaining member 37 in the both side edge
portions and the back edge portion, in the opened state of the
container body 2. Accordingly, the major part of each of the wafers
33 is housed in the container body without having contact with the
constructional elements of the waver transportable container.
[0098] The above opening method of the lid opening and closing
mechanism has two advantages. The first advantage is that the
holding of the door body 3 is not required because the relative
position of the door body 3 and the container body 2 is decided by
the guide ribs 17 of the door body 3 and the positioning ribs 22 of
the container body 2, when each of the clamps 25 is removed from
the locking portions 16 of the container body 2. The second
advantage is that the excessive contact of the semiconductor wafer
33 and the wafer retainer 7 and the negative effect by the
excessive contact can be avoidable because the door body 3
uniformly comes up from the container body 2.
[0099] In addition, the locking and releasing operation of each of
the clamps 25 relative to the locking members 16 can be conducted
with small operation force, so the door body opening and closing
mechanism can be easily applied to an automatic machine which
automatically conducts the attachment and removal of the door body
3 to the container body 2. Each of the clamps 25 rotatably provided
in the container body 2 can be easily mounted on the clamp mounting
portions 24 without separately disposing a special shaft bearing
and the like.
[0100] According to the present invention, as described above, the
waver transportable container 1 comprises the container body 2,
which is capable of storing a plurality of wafers 33 and has one
end the opening portion 2a, and the door body 3 capable of fitting
to the opening portion 2a of the container body 2 in a detachable
manner. In the waver transportable container 1, the guide ribs 17
for positioning are provided in the outside portion 14, 15 of the
door body 3, and the positioning ribs 22, which engage with the
guide ribs 17 to position the door body 3, are provided in the
outside portions 20, 21 of the container body 2, so if the door
body 3 is fitted to the container body 2 so as to install the door
body 3 to the container body 2, the movement of the guide ribs 17
of the door body 3 is controlled by the positioning ribs 22 of the
side planes of the container body 2 to be fitted while being
positioned.
[0101] Accordingly, the door body 3 can be easily closed in a state
that the relative position of the longitudinal direction and
lateral direction with respect to the opening portion 2a of the
container body 2 is decided. Therefore, the wafer retainer 7 can be
easily attached to the wafer 33 of prescribed position in the
container body 2 after the door body 3 is closed, and the working
efficiency of the opening and closing of the door body can be
improved.
[0102] Moreover, as described above, since the clamp mounting
portions are provided in the outside portions 20, 21 of the
container body 2, and the rotatable clamps 25, which are locked and
are released to the locking portions 16 provided in the door body
3, are attached to the clamp mounting portions 24 in a detachable
manner and a rotatable manner, the clamps 25 can be easily attached
to the container body 2 in a rotatable manner and also the elastic
deformation of the clamps 25 is not required when clamping the door
body 3 to the container body 2 by means of the rotatable clamps 25.
Accordingly, the camping of the door body 3 can be easily
conducted.
[0103] Furthermore, as described above, the clamp 25 includes the
contact portions 27, which the guide ribs 17 are contactable and
rotate together with the clamp, and the clamp is provided such that
the clamp is locked to the locking portions 16 by pressing and
rotating the contact portions 27 with the guide ribs 17 in
conjunction with the operation for closing the door body 3 to the
container body 2, and the door body 3 is uniformly separated from
the container body 2 by pushing out the guide ribs 17 with the
contact portions 27, in conjunction with the operation for removing
the clamp from the locking portions 16 for opening the door body 3,
so if the door body is fitted to the container body 2 to install
the door body 3 to the container body 2, the guide ribs 17 push and
rotate the contact portions 27 of the clamp 25. Therefore, the
clamp 25 integrated with the contact portions 27 can automatically
clamp the door body 3 by rotating in the direction clamping the
door body 3 in conjugation with the closing operation of the door
body 3, and also the door body 3 can be easily removed.
[0104] More particularly, by closing the door body 3, the clamping
operation, which clamps the door body, can be conducted in
conjugation with the closing operation without being conducted by a
worker, and also since each of the clamps 25 is rotatable, the
clamping of the door body 3 by the clamps 25 can be performed with
a small operation force without elastically deforming the
clamp.
[0105] In addition, the outer elastic member 31a is formed of a
substantially J-shape in its entire, having the curved portion 32b,
the horizontal straight portion 32c continued to the curved portion
and the leading end portion 32d, which extends inward and upward
from the leading end of the straight portion, so the distance from
the curved portion 32b of the elastic member 31a to the leading end
portion of the contact portion 32d to the semiconductor wafer 33
can be set larger than the conventional distance. Thereby, the
outer elastic member 31a can easily bend, so the conventional large
stress applied to the outer elastic member can be prevented.
Accordingly, the generation of creep phenomenon caused by the large
stress of the outer elastic member 31a can be prevented, and the
deterioration in the holding power by the creep phenomenon of the
outer elastic member 31a can be prevented. Therefore, the
contamination of semiconductor wafer by the deterioration in the
holding power, the miss-catching of the semiconductor wafer and the
damage of the semiconductor wafer by the miss-catching can be
prevented.
[0106] Further, since the inner elastic member 31b is formed of
J-shape including the horizontal straight portion 34c, similar to
the elastic member 31a disposed outside, the distance from the base
portion to the wafer contact portion 34d can be set larger than the
conventional distance. Accordingly, the inner elastic member 31b
can easily bend, so the generation of creep phenomenon by the large
stress of the inner elastic member 31b can be prevented. Therefore,
the deterioration in the holding power by the creep phenomenon of
the inner elastic member 31b can be prevented. Consequently, the
miss-catching and the damage of the semiconductor wafer 33 by the
miss-catching can be absolutely prevented.
[0107] A plurality of wafer supporting grooves 6, which holds each
of the wafers, is formed in the inner plane of each of the right
and left side plates of the container body 2, and a plurality of
retaining grooves 38, which receives the back edge portion of the
wafer is formed in the retaining member 37 provided in the back
plate 35 of the container body 2 corresponding to each of the wafer
supporting grooves 6, and the protrusion portion 36 which projects
in each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 is formed in the side
plane of at least the lower side of each of the wafer supporting
grooves 6, so in the state that the opening portion 2a is opened
without fitting the door body 3 to the opening portion 2a of the
container body 2, the wafer contained in the container body 2 is
supported by the retaining groove 38 of the retaining member 37 in
the back end portion thereof, and the both end portions of the
wafer are supported by the protrusion portions 36 of the wafer
supporting grooves 6. Therefore, in the container body 2 opened
state, each of the wafers can be stored in the container body 2
such that the major portion of each of the wafers 33 does not have
contact with the constructional element of the waver transportable
container 1.
[0108] Furthermore, since a plurality of holding grooves, which
receives the front edge portion of the wafer 33 in the state that
the door body 3 is fitted to the opening portion 2a of the
container body 2, is formed in the wafer retainer 7 provided in the
door body 3, and a pair of side planes facing each other in the
width direction of each of the holding grooves 39 and the retaining
grooves 38 are inclined toward the central portion in the width
direction of each of the holding grooves 39 and the retaining
grooves 38, the front edge portion and back edge portion of the
wafer 33 is guided to each of the side planes toward the central
portion of the holding grooves 39 and the retaining grooves 38,
when being inserted into each of the holding grooves 39 and the
retaining grooves 38 in case that the door body 3 is fitted to the
opening portion 2a of the container body 2. Therefore, in the
closed state that the door body 3 is fitted to the opening portion
2a of the container body 2, each of the wafers 33 is sandwiched
between the wafer retainer 7 and the retaining member 37 in the
state separated from each of the side planes of each of the wafer
supporting grooves 6, so when each of the wafers 33 is vibrated by
the falling of the waver transportable container 1, for example,
the damage of each of the wafers by the contact to each of the side
planes of each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 caused by the
vibration can be absolutely prevented.
[0109] In addition, since the retaining member 37 is integrally
formed with the container body 2, each of the retaining grooves 38
can be formed continuously with each of the wafer supporting
grooves 6, for example, so the consistency of each of the retaining
grooves 38 relative to each of the wafer supporting grooves 6 can
be certainly improved. Therefore, compared with the case that the
retaining member 37 is formed separately from the container body 2,
the accuracy of retaining position of each of the wafers 33 can be
absolutely improved. If the retaining member 37 is formed
separately from the container body 2, the positioning is required
such that each of the retaining grooves 38 formed in the retaining
member 37 conforms to each of the wafer supporting grooves 38, when
incorporating the retaining member 37 to the container body 2.
Therefore, the operation of incorporating the retaining member 37
to the container body 2 can be complicated.
[0110] Moreover, the magnitude of elastic force of each of the
inner elastic members 31b provided in each of the inner two sides
of the supporting frame 30 is set smaller than the magnitude of
elastic force of each of the outer elastic members 31a provided in
each of the outer two sides of the supporting frame, so the
efficiency, which absorbs the impact on each of the wafers 33 by
each of the elastic members, can be further improved.
[0111] In addition, in the above embodiment, the example that the
guide ribs 17 are disposed in the side planes of the door body 3
and the positioning ribs 22 and the clamp mounting portions 24 are
disposed in the side planes of the container body 2 was explained.
However, the positioning ribs 22 and the clamp mounting portions 24
can be disposed in the side planes of the door body 3 and the guide
ribs 17 can be disposed in the side planes of the container body 2,
so as to obtain the same effect. But, considering the mold
construction of the container body 2 and the door body 3 and the
usage status of the waver transportable container 1, it is
preferable to dispose the guide ribs 17, positioning ribs 22 and
clamp mounting portions 24 as described in the above
embodiment.
[0112] In the above embodiment, the positioning ribs 22 of the
container body 2 are positioned between the side edges 18 of the
guide ribs 17 of the door body 3, but the positioning ribs 22 can
be positioned in the outsides of the guide ribs 17 to guide the
guide ribs.
[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the positioning ribs
22 are disposed in the side planes of the container body 2, but an
opening portion, notch or the like, which can control the guide
ribs for positioning, can be disposed instead of using the
positioning ribs 22.
[0114] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the
present invention without departing from the scope or sprit of the
invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the
present invention cover modifications and variations provided they
fall within the scope of the following claims and their
equivalents.
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